Crystal River current., 1887-04-23

restraint, for which. according to his
idea of right and, he was not to blame,
yet he longed to make his peace with
Mildred, 1onged to take her in his arms
and kiss away her tears. and assure
her over and over again how dear she
was to him and how much he missed
the sweet companionship that had been
theirs until this cloud came between
them. Tonight, for the first time since
their estrangement, his heart softened
at the memory of her pale, weary face.
II have been brute and fool!' he
said to himself. II should have re-
membered that she was young and
thoughtless, and that her sudden out
burst of jealousy was proof that she
cared for me. perhaps, more than de-
serve. wonder if made a mistake
in asking such childish creature to
parry me? No doubt she would have
been happier as the wife OF a younger
man."
Closing the door of his room softly,
he crossed the hall and looked into his
wifc's room. A fire burned cheerfully
in the CRATE; an open book lay on the
table, and pair of dainty, embroidered
slippers had been thrown carelessly by
the fire. On the open book lay a little
glove with the faint perfume of violets
still clinging to it. How vividly every
thing suggested the presence of his
young wife, and yet the room was va
cant!
A sudden, vague foreboding seized
him, as he pushed the door open
and went in, then with little nervous
laugh he sat down before the fire.
"How foolish am. she has only gone
out for an hour or two. 1t is quite
comfortable here; will wait awhile"
He fell to thinking and the more he
reasoned, the stronger was his convic-
ton that he had been much, if not wholly,
to blame for the present wretched state
of affairs. He recalled with feeling
of self-reproach that he had spoken
harshly and coldly, when few kind
words might have set matters straight.
"Yet she must know that love her."
pressing it to his lips. Then looking
up suddenly, lie saw Mildred standing
in the open door.
ward, her eyes shining, her voice full
had gone out and-and-I ran over to
Lizzie little while. had no idea it
was raining SO hard" she added, as
she removed her damp cloak and came
nearer to the fire. .'Lizze sent me
home in the carriage" with quick
blush and furtive glance at her hus-
band.
Mildred" and Vernon now drew
her down to his knee, "don't you think
it about time you were devoting some
~ rO,,r cnora tn 1,7s2b
"And don't you think about time you
were quitting that horrid club?" asked
Mildred, hiding her face on hs shoulder.
AFTER tonight it shall know me no
more," said Vernon, earnestly, as he
drew her closer to his breast. I'm
afraid you are too young to understand
q crusty old fellow like me-" he added,
with sigh.
Nonsense, l am almost twenty!'
said Mildred, with q happy laugh.
'And am forty" said Vernon, ''a
cross and grabbed -"
1.-The dearest and best old fellow in
the world! interrupted Mildred with
fond kiss.
AFTER tonight you are never to
doubt me again." said Vernon. "Be-
cause'--his voice growing little
stern-"where there is no perfect trust
there can be no happiness"
II don't see how we are going to be
happy if you keep bringing up disagree
able Subjects" said Mildred with
little pout. 1T is my nature to be
jealous"
'.And mine," said Vernon smother
ing o strong desire to laugh. Il ex-
pcct to knock the first man down that
dares to pay you an open compliment"
''And expect to be a martyr in the
future" said Mildred, with an air of
happy resignation.
Miss Lay continues frequent visitor
at Mildred's home, and notwithstand-
ing the reputation she bears of being q
vain. shallow creature, gossip. and
mischiefmaker, she has convinced Mil
dred, at least, that she knows how to
keep a secret.
Although Vernon, having always re-
garded Miss Lay as woman most de-
void of brains and with very little heart.
wonders sometimes at his wife's choice
of friend, he saws nothing. because
he believes that Mildred has the happy
faculty of drawing out Miss Lays good
qualities, and because in his fond fool
ish eyes, his wife is that creature of the
imagination-a perfect woman!-ADE.
LAIDE D. RoLLsToN, in The Current.